Together: A Sequel To Unfaithful
by zabini91
Summary: Ron and Hermione try to make their relationship work . . . but find it harder than they could have imagined.


(A/N: This song is property of Avril Lavigne and whoever wrote it with her)

Something's just isn't right  
I can feel it inside  
The truth isn't far behind me  
You can't deny  
When I turn the lights out  
When I close my eyes  
Reality overcomes me  
I'm living a lie

Hermione was where she wanted to be. She was back in Ron's arms. Ron, the love of her life, had agreed to take her back. That's exactly the way Hermione had been thinking about it, too. He AGREED to take her back, which meant he didn't really want to. She had expected things to go back to the way they were before . . . _it _happened.

There was a wall between them, and it was obvious. Even people she barely knew commented on how distant they seemed around each other. While their bodies may have been close, their minds were miles apart. Ron didn't seem to be able to forget the past, while that was all Hermione wanted to do.

He had even forbidden her to see Harry anymore (not that she wanted to, anyway). All she wanted was Ron, the first and only boy she had ever loved. Her mind snapped back to that terrible night. The last thing she remembered was looking up to see Draco, with his rain soaked hair covering his cold grey eyes. And then the day afterwards . . .

FLASHBACK

"Why did you bring me here?" she asked, looking across the long table at the blonde man, "Why did you even save me?"

"I wouldn't say I SAVED you" was his only response.

"Okay . . ." Hermione sighed with frustration, "Why did you pick my unconscious body up from the rain-soaked ground and bring me here, to your house?"

"It was my good deed of the day" he smirked, shrugging his shoulders casually.

END FLASHBACK

"Ron?" she asked, shifting in his stiff arms.

"What?" he asked, his body tensing as if he had just remembered she was there.

"I'm so sorry" Hermione whispered, already feeling the warm tears sliding down her cheeks.

"Just forget about it, okay?"

"That's the point" she nearly screamed as she sat up on the couch, "You don't seem to be able to!"

"You're the one who brought it up!"

"Because you were thinking about it!"

"Oh, so now you're a mind reader? What else will you surprise me with?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing. Never mind." Ron spat, standing up and crossing the room to the staircase. He looked her way, almost looking sorry, before stomping up the stairs and marching into their room. Hermione sank into the couch, the tears streaming heavier than before. Choking back a sob, she reached for the bottle of fire whiskey on the table and gulped some down, feeling the burn of it traveling down her throat.

When I'm alone  


I feel so much better  
And when I'm around you  
I don't feel

Together  
It doesn't feel right at all  
Together  
Together we've built a wall  
Together holding hands we'll fall  
Hands we'll fall

Hermione sat on the cold plastic chair of the small café. She was supposed to meet Ron here, but he was already fifteen minutes late. She watched inconspicuously from the opposite side of the room as Draco brushed his platinum hair out of his eyes, memorizing the casual movement of his calloused hand and the swift movement of his soft hair as it immediately fell back into its previous spot.

He looked up suddenly, causing Hermione to turn her head back towards the empty coffee cup sitting in front of her. She could almost _feel _his smirk as she asked the waitress for a refill. It was at that moment that Ron decided to walk into the small room.

"Hey" he muttered, kissing her stiffly on the cheek before taking his seat, "Sorry I'm late"

"It's okay" Hermione whispered almost inaudibly. She saw Ron shift his weight nervously in his seat. She could still feel Draco's gaze on her, causing her to lean closer to Ron, as if the unbearable silence between them was accepted.

"What?" Ron asked curiously.

Hermione giggled under her breath and whispered, "I feel like an exhibit"

This caused Ron to look around the room, wondering what she was talking about, only to catch Malfoy looking their way. He glared angrily at the man and grabbed Hermione's hand gently.

"What do you say about getting out of here?" he whispered suggestively in her ear, raising his eyebrows obviously.

Hermione resisted the urge to look Draco's way to see if he was watching. "What's wrong with staying here?" she asked, playing stupid.

"I meant someplace more . . . private" he admitted, not even giving her enough time to respond before covering her lips with his own. It was the first real kiss they'd shared since he had agreed to take her back, and Hermione accepted it happily and completely. She wrapped her arms around her husband's neck and deepened the kiss.

Ron placed his hands on Hermione's waist, and was starting to pull her closer when he suddenly pushed her away.

"What?" Hermione asked, feeling the pain and worry seep back into her chest. Ron looked into her eyes, and she could see the love for her practically dripping out of them. _Things are finally okay, _she thought, _and I owe it all to Draco . . . now that's a new experience._

"This is exactly why I suggested going somewhere more private" he laughed, taking her small hand in his own and pulling her out of her seat.

Hermione took one last glance in Draco's direction as she placed some money on the table, only to find that he was no longer there. "That's strange . . ." she muttered under her breath.

"What?" Ron asked, leading her towards the door.

"Nothing . . ."

This has gone on so long  
I realize that I need  
Something good to rely on  
Something for me

When I'm alone  
I feel so much better  
And when I'm around you  
I don't feel

Together  
It doesn't feel right at all  
Together  
Together we've built a wall  
Together holding hands we'll fall  
Hands we'll fall

Hermione lay wide awake, watching as Ron slept peacefully. Gently, she ran her hand along Ron's toned stomach, tracing the rippling muscles with her fingers.

"Is that how it started with Harry?" he asked, startling Hermione.

"What?" she asked, hoping she had heard him incorrectly.

"I missed you so much" he said, pulling her closer. Hermione still wasn't sure if she had misheard him or if he decided to change the subject.

"You really hurt me" he continued, now practically clinging to her, "I wasn't sure if things would ever be the same, but . . . last night . . . it reassured me"

"Ron, stop-" Hermione tried to pull away from him. Unwelcome memories floated into her mind, causing fresh tears to form in her eyes.

FLASHBACK

"Ron, wait! No, I love you! Please, don't leave me! Please . . ."

"Ron! Please! I . . . love you! I love you . . . I . . . love . . ."

Her rant was cut off by someone picking her up off the ground, saying, "It's over now, it's over . . ."

END FLASHBACK

"Draco" she muttered.

"What?" Ron asked, quickly sitting up in the bed.

Tears were now flowing down her face, despite her efforts to wipe them away.

"That night" she clarified, "It was Draco. Draco saved me when you left. He took me to his house, he-"

"What, did you fuck him, too?" Ron erupted accusingly.

"No!" Hermione yelled, "I was just explaining . . ."

"Explaining what? That he was there when I wasn't? That he cares about you more?"

Hermione tried to look at him through the abundance of tears clogging her view. "No-" she choked, now crying even more.

Without saying anything, Ron pulled on his work clothes and walked towards the door, "I have to go" he stated awkwardly.

"You can't just ignore this!" she yelled as he walked out the door.

My heart is broken  
I'm lying here  
My thoughts are choking  
On you, my dear  
On you, my dear  
On you, my dear

When I'm alone  
I feel so much better  
And when I'm around you  
I don't feel

Together  
It doesn't feel right at all  
Together  
Together we've built a wall  
Together holding hands we'll fall  
Hands we'll fall

Hermione was crying at this point in the conversation. She had forced Ron to talk about _it _with her, hoping she could finally get the regret and grief off her chest.

"It was an accident" she said as Ron shifted angrily, "I didn't plan it, and I certainly didn't mean to, I . . . you were on a work trip to Africa, you see . . . and I just missed you so much. So Harry was comforting me," she could see his hands forming into tight fists at the mention of Harry's name.

". . . then he told me he loved me, and one thing led to another . . . and, well . . . you know what happened . . .

"I immediately regretted it, so I left. But he kept calling, and I just couldn't say no to him . . . I tried, I really did . . ." she cried and flung herself into Ron's unwelcoming arms.

". . . I had a feeling you knew, but I wasn't sure, and the way you would always look at me . . . it killed me. Every time you would say you loved me . . . or every time you would kiss me I would tear myself apart with guilt"

She felt Ron's arms slightly tighten around her.

"But I did love you. And I still do. More than anything on this planet"

Ron's arms completely closed around her and she could feel his wet tears on her shoulder. "I love you, too" he whispered.

Together  
It doesn't feel right at all  
Together  
Together we've built a wall  
Together holding hands we'll fall  
Hands we'll fall

Humming to herself, Hermione walked the aisles of Marshall's Grocery with a cart full of food.

"I don't think you have quite enough" someone whispered in her ear, causing her to jump. She spun around cautiously, expecting to see some murderer or rapist, though she wasn't sure what one would look like.

Instead, she saw Draco standing only inches from her. "What are you stalking me?" she asked, slowly letting out a relieved sigh.

"What do you mean?" he asked innocently.

"I only see you everywhere I go" Hermione clarified, turning into the next aisle.

"I just can't resist you" he smirked, stopping her and turning her body to face him.

She squirmed against his tight grip, but soon gave up and accepted his means of restraint. "What do you want, Draco?" she asked irritably, as she had a tight schedule for the day, and he was wasting her time.

"I want you to come live with me" he stated obviously.

"Excuse me?" Hermione stared at him in shock, not knowing whether he was joking or not.

"I said I wanted you to come live with me. It's the strangest thing, you see-" he started, releasing her and resting one of his hands under his chin, "Ever since you left, I couldn't stop thinking about you"

Hermione sighed heavily, "Sorry, but no. I'm married" At the last statement, she held up her hand with the wedding ring on it.

"So?" he retorted, "That didn't stop you from shagging Potter, did it?"

"Shut up!" Hermione screamed, causing the few people meandering in the aisle to look over curiously, "That's not the same thing!"

"Okay, okay" Draco said, holding his hands up in defense, "I was just saying . . . other than that embarrassing scene at the café the other day, you don't really act like you love each other. I – on the other hand – do love you"

Hermione stopped and turned slowly, "I'm sorry you feel that way, but I, do not love you"

Once that was said, she reeled the cart around and headed towards the check out stands, leaving a very disgruntled Draco behind her.

When I'm around you  
When I'm around you  
I don't feel together  
I don't feel together

When I'm around you  
When I'm around you  
I don't feel together, no  
I don't feel together  


A/N: Sorry about Draco's involvement in the story! I really don't think it's possible for me to write a fanfiction that doesn't have Draco in it! lol


End file.
